Know Your Skills and Write Them Down

Many skilled people say: *I just do my work.* But an employer cannot see your work from a phone call. You must tell them clearly what you can do. The first step is to write it down for yourself. Take twenty minutes. It is the base of your resume, your messages and your interview.

Why this matters

A person who says *I can do plumbing* sounds like many others. A person who says *I fix leaks, fit bathrooms and install water tanks. I have worked 6 years on houses and shops* sounds clear. Real details are easy to trust. Use real facts only. Do not add things that are not true. An employer may ask you to show it.

Step 1: Write what you do, in small tasks

Think about a normal week of work. What do you do with your hands, your tools and your head? Write one line for each task. Use action words.

Example: house electrician

- Fit switches, sockets and lights
- Find and fix wiring faults
- Install fans and meters
- Read simple wiring drawings
- Test circuits before I leave
- Talk to the house owner about work and cost

Step 2: Write your tools and machines

List the tools, machines and vehicles that you use well. For example: welding machine, angle grinder, forklift, tailor machine, sewing machine, drill, lathe, tractor, sprayer, POS machine, delivery bike. If you have a licence, write it. For example a driving licence, a forklift licence or a trade certificate.

Step 3: Write your years and places

• Where did you work? A company, a site, a shop, or on your own?
• For how long? Years and months are enough. If you do not remember exactly, write about.
• What did you build, fix or make there? Say what you are proud of.
• If you worked for family or on your own, that is also work. Write it.

Step 4: Training and papers

List courses, trade tests, certificates and licences. Write the name, the place and the year. Also write the safety training you did. Many employers ask for it. Also note what languages you can speak. In many jobs, a second language is a real skill.

Step 5: Your good habits

Employers like workers who come on time, finish work, keep the place clean and follow safety rules. If this is true for you, write one line with an example. For example: *I never missed a shift in two years.* Only write it if it is true.

A simple skills sheet

Write this on paper, or in the notes app on your phone.

My work: (for example welder, driver, cook, carpenter)
Years of work: 
Tasks I do well: 
Tools and machines I use: 
Licences and certificates: 
Places I worked: 
Languages: 
Where I can work (town or area): 
Hours I can work: 
When I can start:

What if you have little formal work?

Do not worry. Think about work at home, on a farm, in a family shop, in a community or in a place of worship. Think about helping a relative with repair work. These show real skills. Write them as they are, in plain words.

Your task

1. Write your skills sheet. Fill every line that you can.
2. List at least five tasks that you do well, one on each line.
3. List your tools, machines, licences and certificates.
4. Ask a friend or family member what they think you do best. Add one more line.

How to check it worked

• Your sheet has at least five true tasks, with clear action words.
• Every line on your sheet is true, and you can explain it.
• You can say in two sentences what work you do and for how long.